THE PALM VALLEY REVIEW

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1 THE PALM VALLEY REVIEW Mayor s Christmas Message On behalf of the city of Palm Valley, I wish each and every one of you a happy and safe Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Christmas is a season of hope and joy, a time to give thanks for the blessing of Christ's birth and for the blessings that we receive every day of the year will, no doubt, bring many challenges to our City. But, rest assured, your local government will continue to act in your best interests. Let us continue to work together as we aspire for more progress and development for our constituents and our beloved City. Sylvia and I wish you a Merry Christmas and best wishes for Mayor George Rivera City of Palm Valley

2 Mr. & Mrs. Jaime Guerrero are this year s winners for Best Christmas Decorated Residence. Their home is located at 5502 Bougainvillea Dr. Job Well Done! From City Staff Administration Waterworks Dept Police Department

3 From the Desk of Chief Garcia: Report any suspicious activity to # Please secure, to the best of your abilities, any inflatable Christmas decorations. Lock all vehicle doors when you get home. If operating a golf cart at night, please ensure it is equipped with lights and they are operable. It is the law and a serious safety hazard. Please arrange for prompt collection of packages left by delivery services. Suggestions on package deliveries delay delivery of packages until you are home, ask a neighbor to help, or pick up at the delivery company. Do not leave empty boxes out by the curb which could alert prospective thieves. Date of City General Election: May 5, 2018 To elect three (3) Councilmembers 1 st day to file for a place on the ballot: JANUARY 17, 2018 Last day to file for a place on the ballot: FEBRUARY 16, 5:00 P.M. To run for office in a general law city in Texas, you must, among other requirements: Be a citizen of the United States; Be at least 18 years old on the date of the election; and Be a registered voter and have lived in the State of Texas for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the filing date for the election; and in the city of Palm Valley for at least six (6) months prior to the filing date for the election. FIRST STEPS FOR CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR A CITY OFFICE: A GUIDE TO BECOMING A CITY OFFICIAL: Candidate packets will be available in the City Secretary s office on the first day to file. If you have any questions, please contact the City Secretary at

4 CITY ORDINANCES All of the City s ordinances are posted on the City s website at Just click on ORDINANCES located on the top of the home page and then click on VIEW CODE. SIGN PERMITS The City s Sign Ordinance has been in place since Title XV: Chapter 158 can be viewed at If you are considering placing a specific type of sign at your residence or in a commercial/office location, please contact City Hall. Most signs will require that a permit application be filed with an approval or disapproval to follow. Permit applications can be obtained at City Hall. BUILDING PERMITS The Building Regulations ordinance is on the City s website at (Title XV: Chapter 150). Please review it when you are considering any type of construction, remodeling, electrical, plumbing, roofing, etc. Most of the work requires that a permit be obtained and the appropriate fees charged. If in doubt whether you need a permit or not, please call City Hall first at POOPER SCOOPER ORDINANCE Complaints continue to come in to City Hall regarding pet owners not following through with picking up after their dog(s). Ordinance No can be viewed on the City s website at (Title IX: Chapter 95: Animal Control) Message from Water Dept Street sweeping and the help of our residents to keep our streets/gutters clean contribute to beautifying our neighborhoods. Please do not pile yard waste or any kind of debris next to the curb. Even the smallest efforts on your part can go a long way towards keeping Palm Valley clean. Dates to Remember City Hall Office Closed: December 25-26, 2017 City Hall Office Closed: January 1, 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 15, 2018 The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for January 16, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. We invite you to attend. THE COUNCIL Mayor: George Rivera Mayor Pro-Tem: Deborah Wright Councilmembers: John Widger, Julie C. Martin, Cynthia Thompson, and Paul Powers City Hall: Municipal Court: Police Dept: Water Services: City s Website:

5 Why You Should Not Feed Ducks Harmless Gestures Lead to Harmful Consequences For generations feeding ducks has been a pastime shared by many of us who have grown up thinking that this was an environmentally responsible and humane way to dispose of old or stale bread. However, feeding ducks and geese is actually unhealthy and potentially dangerous for the birds. This seemingly generous act, in fact, can be extremely harmful. Bread and similar products such as crackers, chips, doughnuts, and popcorn are a great source of carbohydrates but have little nutritional value. In fact, feeding bread is equivalent to feeding your child nothing but candy. Without healthy food and proper nutrition the ducks and geese will quickly succumb to disease and death. The Problems with Feeding Ducks Feeding ducks and geese can lead to the following problems as well: Duckling malnutrition in areas where ducks are regularly fed bread the ducklings will not receive adequate nutrition for proper growth and development. Overcrowding where food is easy to come by, ducks and other waterfowl will lay more eggs and the pond or lake will become overcrowded. This makes it more difficult for the birds to seek out healthier food sources and increases territorial aggression, especially during mating season. It will also cause ducks to cross busy streets in search of food. Pollution what happens to all that bread that is not eaten? It causes algae growths, pollution, and can eventually eradicate fish and other life in the vicinity. Diseases A diet rich in carbohydrates leads to greater fecal production and bird feces easily harbors bacteria responsible for numerous diseases including avian botulism. Attraction of pests Rotting leftover food attracts other unwelcome pests such as rats, mice, and insects. These pests can also harbor additional diseases that can be dangerous to humans. Caring For Ducks & Geese If you care about ducks and geese, do not feed them. They can live longer, healthier lives by relying on natural food sources such as aquatic plants, seeds, grasses, and insects rather than taking handouts from will-meaning humans. Now that you know, you can help by not feeding the ducks and geese and by educating other duck lovers. Source:

6 Letter from a Resident FEELING THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS IN THE VALLEY OF DREAMS AND HOPES By Al Garcia Palm trees and multi-light Christmas trees line streets in neighborhoods along the Rio Grande during this festive time of year. In communities like Harlingen and Palm Valley, the spirit of the season can be seen in the beautifully decorated homes that adorn neighborhoods throughout these unique and inviting communities. And yes, I may be a bit prejudiced because I live in Palm Valley, but I think I have reason to be proud of this small community and its neighbor, Harlingen. Last year was my first Christmas back in the Rio Grande Valley after being away for almost 48 years. I celebrated my first Christmas after my retirement in my new home with family and friends and my new neighbors in Palm Valley. It was a wonderful time of sharing my new beginning with people who had a connection to my past and with new friends and acquaintances in my new neighborhood in his hidden gem in the Valley the City of Palm Valley. This holiday season I sense and see a change throughout my neighborhood and surrounding communities. There seems to be a renewal of the true spirit of the season. Houses throughout the City of Palm Valley have been turned into Norman Rockwell Christmas scenes, awakening memories of wonderful Christmases past, when people actually took time from their busy schedules to spruce up their homes in the colors and lights of the season. As a newly returned resident to the Valley I can feel the warmth that enticed me back. It is home and always has been. I have spent Christmas holidays in San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Moscow, and other parts of the world. Each location offering its own charm and allure. Yet there was always something missing during my holidays in these wonderful locales -- something intangible and imperceptible. Last year when I returned to the Rio Grande Valley I found out what was missing. It was my emotional ties to this Valley along the Rio Grande, where my dreams and hopes were born and nurtured. This was the Valley of dreams and hopes that inspired me to explore my inner self and the world around me. This was the Valley of dreams and hopes that opened my mind, my eyes and my heart. And so, when I returned to the Valley last year, I finally knew the true meaning of coming home. The Valley is home, and now Palm Valley is my home. I can understand the allure that such communities as Harlingen and Palm Valley have for winter visitors and Baby Boomers like myself who are retiring and returning home. Harlingen and Palm Valley (along with other surrounding communities) offer beautiful communities geared especially for individuals like me. The Valley also offers great economic advantages, superb weather, an abundance of attractions that surround these communities, and most of all, a melting pot of ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.

7 So, it is this special Valley along the Rio Grande that draws new people to the area each year, welcomes back Prodigal Sons (and daughters), like myself, and whose growing economy and diversity entices Generation X and Millennials to remain and thrive. In the year I have been in Palm Valley I have been impressed with the continuing and rapid growth of our community and the close ties and support of its surrounding partners. The City of Palm Valley, and Harlingen, was and is the ideal retirement venue for me. And, to paraphrase Mayor George Rivera during a meeting we had earlier this year, the City of Palm Valley is a unique living experience in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. And I agree. Thomas Wolfe wrote in the late 1920s, You Can t Go Home Again, Some things will never change. Some things will always be the same. Lean down your ear upon the earth and listen. I left the Valley to see the world in 1968 and returned in And since then, the Valley has certainly changed, and so have I. But the one thing I found out is that you can recapture the feelings and the memories of the past. I did by simply reconnecting with family and friends I had left behind so many years ago. I had always believed Wolfe s writing to mean that things and even oneself change, and that we can never recapture the feelings we had in the past. That it will always seem different. Well, speaking from experience, you can come home again. I have leaned down and placed my ear upon the earth and listened and I can hear the heart beat of the Rio Grande Valley, beating stronger and more vibrant than when I left. And now I am once again a part of heart and soul of this unique Valley along the Rio Grande. So, this Christmas I m not spending the holidays in San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Moscow, or some other part of the world. Instead, I m spending Christmas at home in the Rio Grande Valley in the City of Palm Valley. I m home again. I m back to my Valley, the birth place of my Dreams and Hopes. # # #